Do you remember the first time you learned a new language? You were having a hard time understanding unfamiliar words and almost gave up on learning, weren't you? 

Do you remember the first time you made a friend? Or the first time you had a crush on someone? I bet you were sweating profusely because you weren't sure if he wanted to be your friend or if he liked you too.

Do you remember the first gift you received from Santa and how wide your smile was at that time? Let me guess, you wanted to hug Santa secretly, but ended up hugging your father in a Santa Claus costume instead, am I right?

Do you remember that day when you, your family and friends celebrated the day when you turned sixteen? You just wanted to open that huge birthday present and get over the party, didn't you? 

Do you remember the first time you went on an adventure with your friends? Your parents probably didn't know because it was one dangerous outing, and hell you were just too scared to tell them that. 

Do you remember those beautiful days? When you spent your entire summer by the beach, singing Karaoke with confidence in a small cottage and pretending to be mermaids with your friends.

Do you remember the speech your parents made on your 18th birthday? Wasn't it heart-wrenching and touching to the point that you cried and ruined your make up?

Do you remember your exciting first times? Do you remember at least one of the best days of your life? A moment in your life when your heart smiled and fluttered, a moment when you couldn't ask for more because you were already contented with everything? Well, I do. I remember those days. How can I possibly forget the feelings I felt and the memoirs that made my life even more brighter and beautiful than it already is?

I honestly had to ask a few people about the best days of their lives before finding my own to begin this essay, including the people I still consider my best friends despite the huge distance between us. Distance and time can't break a strong friendship apart after all.

Anyways, I had to ask them because I apparently couldn't find the right inspiration and the words to write. Then after hearing so many different answers from different people, I suddenly realized something. These people were actually the ones who changed me and made my life exciting, I thought.

In the past, I was strangely distant from everybody except my mother, my father and my brother. I never liked talking to people, I never liked the idea of anyone hearing my voice or being my friend. I was extremely shy and creepy. Hence, people didn't stop disturbing my moments of tranquility and it kind of bugged me off whenever people asked me to let them hear my voice. Not long after that, I started writing to people who wanted to talk to me in class. Once, I wrote something like 'I don't wanna talk to you' to someone, and somehow I scared that one person away. But later on, exchanging letters became my way of communicating to my classmates.

My life didn't change right away just because I found an easier way to communicate with people. I still spent years being afraid of people, then fighting with boys in my class who liked to trouble me and then wishing that I'd be able to find my words to become friends with the girls in my class. It took me quite a long time to find the true friends I've always dreamed of having. I think meeting them one by one was one of the best days of my life, because then I got over the scared little girl in an empty shell and found the best of me. With the help of my friends and the unending love of my family, I learned a lot of new things. I learned to speak up, I learned to be brave, I learned to break the rules sometimes, I learned to have fun and freedom, I learned to know my circle, and I learned so much about myself. 

So now, I wanna talk about one very special day for me.

Two years ago, I turned 18. I had a simple celebration at home with my family and some of my best friends from middle school, high school and college. It was the first time that I noticed my brother really worked hard just to make my day even more perfect, the first time my mom organized a party for me, the first time I danced with my father and the first time I found all my friends from different schools getting along together. It wasn't an extravagant party. I wasn't wearing a gown like the Disney Princesses and I wasn't waiting for a prince to take me on my last dance either. I was simply wearing a bunny T-shirt and skinny jeans, danced with my family and played with my friends.

My brother even performed a dance for me. My parents and the rest of my family and friends left a message for me. My dad showed us a video of when I was still a baby until I was about five years old or something. There were different videos he compiled and edited with the background music that I could never forget. I cried when he spoke about how happy he was when I was born and how happy he still is and forever will be for my existence. When it was my mom's turn, I also cried and really, my tears ruined my eyeliner. I probably looked like a witch in that moment. I think it started when she shared to everyone how happy I easily get when there's an apple to eat. She said she'd buy me any number of apples just to see me smile.

My grandpa's words also melted my heart albeit I tried to hold back my tears. It was when he said that the Tilapia fish always reminded him of me. He said it made him smile every time he thought of me even though we rarely see each other and that he was very grateful to have a granddaughter as sweet as honey like me. Eventually, my friends' expressed messages for me that were ridiculously funny, it made me laugh after the tears of joy.

Afterward, we started eating, opening gifts and singing like wild wannabe singers.

As soon as the clock turned 12 AM, everyone bid goodbye and started going back to their homes. 

It was a long day but a great one. Never had I thought that I'd be so emotional, but I was still the happiest girl on my 18th birthday. I smiled, I cried, I laughed and I continued living on with the people who knew the best of me. I was really happy that I incoherently mumbled to myself before the special day ended, "Today is perfect because I have everyone I need. I don't want to ask for more, because I'm happy already. My day is complete and I know it."

In the end, I still get this chance to thank God and say, 'Today is the best day of my life' because my family and friends are the best thing that ever happened to me. Everyday I wake up knowing that I have all I need, my family and my friends by my side, is more than enough to make my day the best. I am just thankful to be living this life, blessed and contented with what I have today, tomorrow, and for the rest of my life. 

and this is me when i was a small

just wanted to share it yay